By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - During Tennessee Tech's run of softball dominance in the 2000s, the Golden Eagles had plenty of fantastic hitters, but it's hard to find the kind of success that Beth Boden put together in the 2007 campaign.
Boden will be inducted as part of the 2018 Tennessee Tech Sports Hall of Fame class on Friday, Nov. 2 at the Multipurpose Room of the University Center at 6:30 p.m. CT. Tickets are available through the Hooper Eblen Center ticket office, by calling 931-372-3940 or by visiting TTUSports.com.
In 2007, Boden, as a junior, was the NCAA Statistical Champion in home runs, hitting what was then a school- and Ohio Valley Conference-record 25. Her high school and collegiate teammate, Stephanie Fischer, would break the mark the following year with 27, also an NCAA-best that year.
Boden broke the Tennessee Tech career record for home runs by the time her junior campaign came to a close and finished with a total of 51 over four seasons. She also still holds the Tech career marks in at-bats (834), runs scored (191) and total bases (481). Boden is also ranked in hits (259, 3rd), doubles (51, 3rd), triples (9, t-8th), RBI (138, 4th), stolen bases (42, 6th) and walks (77, 6th).
Beth was one of the offensive pieces that helped guide the Golden Eagles to consecutive 50-win seasons, three consecutive Ohio Valley Conference tournament championships, back-to-back OVC regular-season crowns and three consecutive NCAA Regionals.
In 2007 alone, in addition to her NCAA-leading home run mark, she ranked fifth nationally in home runs per game, 10th in runs scored per game and 14th in slugging percentage. She set what were then single-game program records in walks (3), home runs (2) and RBI (7), as well as single-season records in runs scored (72 – still the school record), RBI (54) and walks (35).
With teammate – and TTU Sports Hall of Famer – Bonnie Bynum Graham, Boden was selected as the co-winner of the 2007 TTU Outstanding Female Athlete of the Year award.
Boden was selected as the OVC's Player of the Year in 2007 as well as picked to the National Fastpitch Coaches' Association All-South Region second team roster.
She was also twice named to the OVC All-Tournament Team and was six times the OVC's Player of the Week. She was also named three times to the All-OVC first team roster.
But her success wasn't just limited to the diamond as she excelled in the classroom. Graduating with a 3.75 GPA in civil engineering, Boden was Tech Athletics' 2008 Woman of the Year as well as finalist for the university's Derryberry Award.
She was named a CoSIDA Academic All-American in 2007 and 2008 on the second-team roster, while also claiming spots on the Academic All-District teams in 2007 and 2008. She won the OVC's Scholar-Athlete Award in 2007, then the OVC's Steve Hamilton Sportsmanship Award. She also served as the president of Tech's chapter of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
Boden was drafted and played one season with the Rockford Thunder of the National Pro Fastpitch League. She was picked in the fourth round, 20th overall.
After earning her bachelors' degree in civil engineering in 2008, she went on to earn her masters' degree in civil engineering as well.
She returned home and coached Pacelli High's girls basketball team from 2011 to 2013, as well as softball from 2011 to 2015. She coached her softball team to two Wisconsin state championships in 2012 and 2015.
Photo by TTU Sports Information
